Southampton lose final game of the season in 1-0 loss to Stoke City
By Chris Hughes
Peter Crouch came back to haunt his former club as the Saints ended this season in drab fashion.
Claude Puel could be in for some sleepless nights after today’s performance, as his future with the club remains up in the air as Southampton slumped to a 1-0 loss to Stoke City.
Despite bettering West Brom’s result against Swansea and therefore sealing an eighth-placed finish it’s been hard to defend the Saints as of late, with today’s goalless effort meaning the side have failed to score at St. Mary’s in over seven hours of football.
It means that the Saints have not scored in five successive home games – that’s only happened once before, in 1937.
The only goal of the game came dead on the hour mark, as Peter Crouch scored a trademark header against his former club after being found by the American Geoff Cameron.
But the game did provide some positives, as Charlie Austin made his first senior start of the calendar year, having been sidelined back in December.
The win for Mark Hughes’ team took them above Crystal Palace to finish in 13th, something that sums up the inconsistent season the Potters have had.
Despite it being only Stoke’s second win from their last 11 games, it didn’t come without warrant, with the side enjoying the better share of chances in the first half.
Bame Miram Diouf tested Fraser Forster on more than one occasion in the first half alone, with Stoke being disciplined and having a solid percent of the possession.
With the Saints struggling to offer a serious threat, Stoke took a deserved lead in the 60th minute, as versatile defender Geoff Cameron found Peter Crouch with an accurate cross. It would end as the only goal of the game.
It was a milestone game for Crouch, who became the first player in Premier League history to score 50 goals. It was also Mark Hughes’ 150th win in the league as a manager.
Jack Butland was arguably the best player on the pitch however, with the English stopper keeping out efforts from both Steven Davis and James Ward-Prowse.